Moonlight Surf Spot
This has got to be one of the best beaches in Southern California, it's
great for a day at the beach with some friends or family. it has a nice and
sandy beach that is ample in size and can accommodate a lot of beach goers.
When I was younger, my parents and I would head over to Moonlight for the
day and I would spend the whole day surfing, body boarding and playing in
the soft sands.
The view from the upper parking lot
This beach is especially cool because there are almost no
rocks in the surf, it's great for swimming and body boarding. On top of
those facts, this beach is especially convenient because there is a Snack
Bar located right on the beach! Not much better then hanging out on the
beach for the day and not having to get in the car to get food!
The Moonlight sign from 3rd Street
Location:
Moonlight is located in the heart of the town of
Encinitas in North County of San Diego. There are some awesome restaurants
right around the corner on Old Highway 101.
Click Here for
Directions
The Parking Scenario:
The parking at Moonlight is awesome! There is one huge
parking lot located at the top of the bluff as well as a lower parking lot
that can accommodate about 15 automobiles. The parking lots allow for a lot
of beach goers for easy parking and access to the beach , however, on hot
summer days, this parking lot can fill up quickly due to the high quality
and comfort of this beach. Please make sure to not park on the red curbs,
there are a few located throughout the parking lots and Police Officers
routinely look to find people parked in those spots.
Main parking lot at Moonlight
If both parking lots are filled up, parking can also be
found on the side streets surrounding Moonlight. Along 3rd Street, there is
quite a bit of public parking but please be sure not to block a fire hydrant
or someone's driveway. if you continue up 3rd Street, you will cross C and D
Street which also have public parking.
The lower parking lot at Moonlight
Beach Accessibility and Conveniences:
There are several ways to access the beach at Moonlight. The
first is from the upper parking lot. there is a transcending ramp on the
bluff that meanders it's way down to the beach. it has handrails and is
handicap accessible. From the lower parking lot, you can access the beach
from the North side of the parking lot. You can see a few people walking
down the walkway in the above picture of the lower parking lot. On top of
those two entrances, you can access Moonlight from the very end of B Street.
The street ends in the Moonlight drop off and Fire parking so be sure not to
leave your car unattended.
Beach access from the upper parking lot
Moonlight is an extremely convenient beach
due to the fact that it is accommodated with a large building full of public
restrooms, many public showers located right in front of the restrooms and a
very tasty Snack Bar located about 20 feet away from the restrooms. Like
stated above, this is an extremely good beach to spend a day at and just
relax.
Lifeguard:
There are two Lifeguard towers located at Moonlight, one
is located on the South side of the beach and the other is located on the
North side. Both of these towers are fully guarded during the summer season
and often have Lifeguards attending them on large days of surf. When I was
younger, I was caught in a rip tide and before I knew it, a Lifeguard had
grabbed me and was pulling me back into the beach. They were very responsive
and kind about the incident which is how it should be. You can see the
Lifeguard towers in the above pictures.
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